Rodriguez Takes Stage Four of Tour de Georgia

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Rodriguez Takes Stage Four of Tour de Georgia

Rodriguez strikes again

American Fred Rodriguez of Sidermec today won the 122-mile Stage Four of Dodge Tour de Georgia, which stretched from Dalton, Ga., to Gainesville, Ga., with a time of 04:49:22. American cyclist Chris Horner of Team Saturn finished second with Australian Allan Iacuone of the Flanders-iTeamNova team rounding out the top three. Horner won the yellow jersey and is now the overall race leader. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>

?Saturn put the hurt on everyone today, but I was able to make the most of it,? said Rodriguez. ?The climb was incredibly difficult, despite the beautiful scenery, and this was definitely the hardest stage we?ve faced so far.?

Today?s race featured two grueling King of the Mountains (KOMs) with an average incline grade of more than six percent. The first, a 2,100-foot elevation gain at Fort Mountain State Park was won by Canadian Dominique Perras of Flanders-iTeamNova. Rodriguez won the second, a 1,050-foot elevation gain at Woody Gap.

?I couldn?t have done it without [teammates] Nathan [O?Neill] and Tom [Danielson], they set the pace for me all the way up,? said Horner, winner of the Wachovia King of the Mountain jersey and the overall leader. ?I?m looking forward to Atlanta tomorrow and holding on to the yellow jersey.?

Today?s two designated sprint points in Chatsworth, Ga., and Elijay, Ga., were won by American Phil Zajicek of Team Saturn. Additionally, 20-year-old Dalton, Ga., native Saul Raisin of the Ofoto-Lombardi Sports team was named best young rider for the fifth straight day.

?It was incredible to lead the peloton out of Dalton today,? said Raisin. ?My family was along the route in Elijay cheering me on and seeing my name painted across the road was great.?

Tomorrow?s 88-mile Stage Five race will kick off at 1 p.m. at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. This final stage of the tour features nine, 9.8-mile circuits through the downtown, midtown and Virginia-Highlands area before finishing at Centennial Olympic Park at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Turner South will be airing a one-hour show recapping the entire Dodge Tour de Georgia on May 3 at 2 p.m. EST.

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